12 problems with feminism

Buzzfeed, ever the champion of feminism, gay pride, and probably gay feminists (not to mention fabulous quizzes and listicles that capture it more often than not), published 12 Things That Haven’t Changed For Women Since The 1960’sin honor of, (I guess?) the anniversary of the publication of Betty Friedan’s “groundbreaking piece of feminist literature,” The Feminine Mystique. (If there are still a dozen pretty big things that supposedly haven’t changed, was Friedan’s work really “groundbreaking”?)

The following are a dozen things that Krystie Lee Yandoli claims haven’t changed for women since the 1960s, and, courtesy of yours truly, the reasons why (Disclaimer: I love men.):

1.) The Wage Gap

Whose fault is this? According to Buzzfeed:

In June 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into legislation and in January 2009, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, both intended to level out the gender imbalance in salaries. But in 2014, women still only earn 77 cents for every dollar that a man makes.

So…the law forbids gender discrimination when it comes to wages. Either every employee in the United States is breaking the law, or most women are not assertive enough when it comes to demanding higher salaries. Or maybe the smart ones have figured out that if you do things right, all you need is some extra cash flow for a shoe allowance is roughly 77 percent of his salary.

2.) Limitations on reproductive rights

Yandoli writes:

Since Roe v. Wade in 1973, abortion is technically legal. But in the last three years over 50 abortion clinics in 27 states have closed down because of laws with intentionally heavy restrictions. These new pieces of legislation ultimately make it impossible for clinics to function.

Apparently “domestic duties” are still considered “women’s work.” True. When was the last time you saw a commercial for a Swiffer Sweeper that featured a man?

Look, no one wants to clean the dishes and sweep the floors, but no one wants t0 find dried egg residue on the plate, or a multi-generational family of dust bunnies under the bed, either. Maybe the reason we’ve held onto these roles is because we’re just better at them. Someone has to do it, and if we made it a “man’s role,” wouldn’t that be just as sexist? Give us credit where credit it due, feminists. Women have a better attention to detail and are superior multi-taskers. Or are we only allowed to admit when we best men in the office?

4.) Expectations around marriage:

The wedding industry in the Unites States accumulates a total of $72 billion a year, and there’s still a sense of pressure on young women to adopt this age-old tradition.

First of all, is “this age-old tradition” based around happiness, family, love, romance, and a really fun party, by chance? HOW DARE THOSE BRIDES!!! Also, props to the wedding industry for accumulating so much profit! Many of them are industrious entrepreneurs and cunning business owners. Lots of them, I’d be willing to bet, are also women.

5.) Women are also expected to have children when they’re young.

As opposed to…? I’m thinking this is stubborn old nature’s fault. Grasping at straws, anyone?

6.) But most companies don’t offer paid maternity leave.

Most companies don’t offer any maternity leave for men. So there. Also 3 months being paid for not working is a bit much to ask. Unless you’re Lois Lerner.

7.) Female CEOs are few and far between.

Maybe because women are spending time coming up with ridiculous false lists about feminism instead of brainstorming ways to topple men.

8.) Unrealistic beauty ideals.

There are still social norms and expectations around what it means to be a “beautiful woman” and they can be pretty detrimental, too. The advancement of technology and photoshop certainly hasn’t helped much, either.

After all these years, people still expect us to groom ourselves and stay in shape. Oh! The shame of it all…

9.) The Miss America Pageant still exists.

Even worse that the hygiene stigma. An organization that promotes beauty, brains, and charitable service, not to mention diversity? It’s just too much. How dare they.

10.) Advertisements are still extremely sexist.

Let’s stop featuring gendered human beings in any and all ads.

11.) LGBT-identifying women lack equality.

A person who is a lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgendered all at the same time is still technically considered a “woman”? I don’t really know what to say about this one.

12.) There still hasn’t been a woman president.

That’s ‘cuz you didn’t vote for Sarah Palin. Rude.

Face it, feminists have to do all the things traditional women do (that house isn’t going to clean itself), in addition to being breadwinners, too, and not even have a nice man in their lives to buy them pearls.